MARK Lewis-Francis, still Britain's most promising young sprinter, has been getting advice from Linford Christie in preparation for the new season.

MARK Lewis-Francis, still Britain's most promising young sprinter, has been getting advice from Linford Christie in preparation for the new season.

The 22-year-old Birchfield Harrier and Olympic gold medallist aims to cash in on his Athens success and is hoping Christie's advice will pave the way to fresh honours.

Lewis-Francis is pencilled in to compete at Sheffield this weekend, but his first major confrontation comes on February 18 when he goes head-to-head with the likes of world indoor record holder Maurice Greene, Kim Collins and Jason Gardener in the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham.

The young Midlander, who won Olympic gold in his first ever international sprint relay final, said: "Training in Wales and getting advice from Lin-ford Christie is a case of broadening my mind and getting some experience by listening to a great sprinter of his time."

This new training policy is part of the new-look Lewis-Francis, who has shed four kilograms since the Athens Olympics.

He said: "Last year, I was 91kg and now I am 86.9kg, which is a big improvement.

Hopefully, my times will come down.

"This has been brought about by eating the right foods and cutting out the snacks.

"I am still keeping up my weights work and I can see the improvement in my running."